


No April Rain...

by TJ_Dragonblade



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-08-09
Updated: 2002-08-09
Packaged: 2018-12-23 06:50:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11984433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TJ_Dragonblade/pseuds/TJ_Dragonblade
Summary: AC201, Preventer's HQ.  Wufei gets a phonecall.





	No April Rain...

**Author's Note:**

> I was driving into work one day and heard Stevie Wonder's 'I Just Called to Say I Love You'; I hadn't heard it in years. And seeing as how most of my ideas springboard off of songs, I naturally started thinking about how *this* one could work. This ficlet just sorta unfolded that afternoon and the next.  
> =====  
> Started: 8/7/02  
> Drafted: 8/8/02

The electronic trilling of his vidphone startled Chang Wufei back to reality from the muddled depths of the mission report that he was slogging through. He'd been trying to decipher the damned thing for the last hour, making it through seven pages out of twenty in that time. Passers-by to his partially open office door had been treated to the sound of his annoyed muttering and the occasional curse offered under his breath in mandarin. Anyone bold enough to peek in would probably have expected to find him hunched over the report, jacket hanging crookedly off the back of his chair, tie loosened and hair frazzled every-which-way; said hypothetical persons would have been surprised to see him sitting straight, leaning only slightly forward, uniform still complete and immaculate and every hair properly in place. Even amidst the most aggravating of administrative evils, Chang Wufei was and would always be Chang Wufei.

Still, the soft trilling of the vidphone was a welcome interruption. He laid down the report and pressed the 'accept call' button. "Chang."

< < Hiya, Sexy! > > Duo's face popped onto the screen, complete with his standard hundred-watt grin.

"Duo." Wufei's 'all business' expression melted into a genuine smile even as he blushed ever-so-slightly at the compliment. "A welcome respite, indeed. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

< < Respite from what? > > Duo asked, ignoring Wufei's question. < < What're they *doin'* to ya up there? > >

"The administrative equivalent of your Christian fire and brimstone," Wufei answered wryly.

< < Ah. > > Duo sounded sympathetic. < < Admin Hell. > >

"Indeed. Hamilton is a fine officer and a model ex-soldier, but the man's reports are an absolute mess. He has *no* grasp of coherent narrative skills and his grammar is truly horrendous." Wufei sighed and sat back, frustration evident.

< < *My* grammar is horrendous, > > Duo pointed out, grinning. < < You don't seem to mind *that* too much. > >

"That is because you are special, Duo," Wufei answered, grinning in return. "*And* you do not subject me to tedious, rambling, twenty-page mission reports full of it! If I can *ever* make any sense of this mess, I am willing to bet that *you* would have been able to concisely state all the relevant and important information in just two pages."

< < Nah--I'd do it in one. I *hate* writing reports. > >

"But at least you do them correctly and well. This...this is beginning to make me wish I had injured something more substantial than my knee."

< < Rather camp out in the infirmary than put up with desk duty, huh? Me too. > >

"Yes. At least there it is possible to amuse oneself annoying our dear Sally."

< < Ah, yeah. > > Duo's smile was reminiscent. < < Livin' with me's rubbin' off on ya, 'Fei--you gotta quit pickin' up my bad habits or she'll *really* kill *both* of us. > >

"Indeed." Wufei was toying idly with the red pen in his fingers. "So. What can I do for you?"

< < Hm? > > Duo looked vaguely startled.

"I assume you had a reason for calling? Aside from gracing me with the beauty of your face?"

< < Uh...yeah. > > A faint blush lit alabaster cheeks.

"Well?"

< < I'm *booo-ooored*! > > Duo wailed, leaning forward and closer to his screen. < < God, have you ever *been* on cell-block guard duty? These guys have *no* imagination--no ranting, no screaming, no threats to my person, no lurid suggestions, no attempted jailbreaks--it's worse'n visiting the zoo at nap time! *Boring*, I tell ya! > >

Wufei shook his head slightly, smiling. "Anyone else would count such lack of insurrection a blessing," he replied.

< < Yeah, but I'm psychotic, as you like to remind me every day. I can't have any *fun* this way! > > He glanced to either side and leaned closer still, voice lowering conspiratorially. < < Y'know what I think? I think they're all *scareda* me. > >

Wufei snorted, laughing softly. "The unholy terror of Shinigami's reputation haunts you still, hm?"

< < Yeah. > > Duo leaned back, lacing his hands behind his head. < < I figure I'm stuck with it for life. So here I sit, babysitting the world's most well-behaved prisoners--bored outta my mind, I tell ya. > >

Wufei twirled his pen. "You *could* have continued field duty with a temporary partner while I healed, Maxwell," he reminded gently.

< < Yeah, well, I didn't wanna. I don't trust just anyone to cover my six, y'know? > >

"So you would rather sit watch on a 'boring' cell block than go your regular duties with a stranger by your side?"

< < I'd rather do this than work without *you*, > > Duo clarified, leaning forward again. < < Even among the few people in this world I *do* trust, 'Fei, you're...you're special. > >

A very pleasant, soft sort of warmth spread through Wufei at that admission, and he couldn't help smiling a rare, gentle smile at his lover.

But Duo wasn't looking; he seemed to have found something inordinately fascinating about one corner of the blotter on his desk. Wufei leaned forward, setting his pen aside.

"Duo?"

The other glanced up, looking unusually nervous all of a sudden.

"There is something else on your mind, xin ai(1)," Wufei said gently. "I can see it in your eyes. Please, tell me..."

Duo chuckled. < < Know me that well, do ya? > > He sighed and ran a hand up under his bangs, pushing them out of his face only to have them fall back a second later. < < Well, then...I'm hoping you know *why* I don't want to be goin' on missions and leaving you behind? > > His eyes met Wufei's, and the Chinese youth inclined his head in acknowledgement.

"Yes, Duo, I know why," he said softly.

< < *And* why I like screwing your pretty little brains out every chance I get, > > the other continued, oddly without the teasing grin that would normally accompany such a statement.

Wufei flushed darkly, praying that no one on Duo's end or on the other side of his own half-open door had been close enough to hear *that*.

Duo was still talking. < < 'Cause, I mean, y'know, it's not just because I'm a horny little devil and you're the god of all wet dreams *and* the human embodiment of sex appeal--there's a lot more too it... > >

"I know," Wufei said, still blushing furiously. "Though you never can bring yourself to say it--still, I know."

Duo was fidgeting by now. < < Yeah, see, that's kinda why I called. D'you know *why* I never say it? > >

"I have guesses; but no," Wufei admitted, leaning a little more forward. Duo's demeanor indicated that whatever was on his mind was quite important and more than a little bit difficult for him.

< < Well...y'see...everyone I've ever been close to has died...my parents, Solo, half the gang, Father Maxwell, Sister Helen...and now there's all of you guys. > > He drew in a deep breath. < < Yeah, Shinigami still haunts me. There's a part of me that's terrified you're all gonna die--especially you, 'Fei, 'cause you mean so much more to me than anyone else ever has. > > His eyes dropped to the desk again.

"Thank you, Duo, for telling me this," Wufei said softly, that pleasant warmth still running through him. "I appreciate the confidence, and I *do* understand." He was going to continue, but Duo interrupted.

< < No, 'Fei, there's more. > > He met Wufei's gaze, and paused. His mouth opened, then closed; he fidgeted with the corner of the blotter again, then brought his eyes back to Wufei's. < < I-- > > He closed his mouth again.

Wufei smiled just the tiniest bit. "Spit it out, Maxwell," he said, ever-so-gently, leaning forward on his crossed arms.

Duo took a deep breath. < < I've been thinkin' a lot today, 'Fei, and this is what I've come up with: The way I feel about you is there already, regardless of anything I may or may not do or say; and it's too late to do anything about it. I *feel* it, y'know? I'm closer to you than I've ever been to anyone, and you're still alive, see? How's saying it out loud gonna change that? I know you'd like to hear it, and this fear of mine is just silly. I mean, what do I think, that if I say the words you're gonna keel over and croak on me? That's ridiculous, y'know? > > He took a deep breath and blew it out through his bangs. < < So I sat here and I decided I was gonna tell ya. > >

For some odd reason, Wufei's heart was beating a bit faster. "Duo, beloved--you needn't do anything you feel unready to do. I know how you feel, and I am happy in that knowledge, whether or no you ever can say the words."

< < But it's time to quit hiding from this imaginary curse of mine, > > Duo said emphatically. < < So. > >

Wufei said nothing, simply waited with his heart in his throat; after a second, Duo drew in a deep breath.

< < I...I just called to say...I love you. > >

Slowly, Wufei smiled, the kind of smile that sets in deeper than skin and muscle tissue and transforms one's entire aura. Happiness shone in his depthless eyes as Duo spoke again.

< < I *love* you, Chang Wufei. I...I'll see you later, 'kay? > > His face disappeared abruptly from the vidscreen.

He'd said it.

After all these years, he had finally said it.

Moving in a pleasant sort of half-daze, Wufei reached to disconnect his end of the call, picked up his pen and the infuriating report, and went back to work.

The deep, happy smile stayed on his face for the rest of the day.

**Author's Note:**

> xin ai = (mandarin) beloved  
> I have since been told by native speakers that it's not used this way, not the way that 'beloved' can be an endearment in English; I am going to beg creative license for my usage herein because language (particularly informal language) tends to evolve over time and maybe in the AC era 'xin ai' could have come into use as an endearment?


End file.
